Ski press



March 11, 1941- C J DAVls 2,234,487

SKI PRESS Filed Feb. 28, 1939 .f f 1/ J7 Maw (Maw? Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 3 Claims.

In order to maintain skis in good condition for service, it is important that they be held in proper shape during storage, as otherwise they may warp and twist, especially when they are stored for extended periods, as from season to season, and under adverse or variable conditions of temperature and humidity.

In accordance with this invention, therefore, means are provided by which each ski is held to proper shape independently of any other, and preferably in an enclosure or closet-like structure which protects them from dirt and which at least to some extent protects them from effects of sudden changes of temperature and humidity. Such a container also forms a very satisfactory and eificient shipping case.

Another further object of this invention is to provide shape-determining means which may be set and released readily to permit removal and replacement of the skis easily and quickly and wherein the contours of the skis may be adjustably determined to suit the peculiarities and design of the ski and to the desires of the owner.

For a more complete understanding of this 1 invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a press in open condition and illustrating this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Figure 1 but showing the press closed.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view to a larger scale illustrating certain cooperating parts of the press.

Figure 5 is a, perspective view of a modified press construction, the press being shown open.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view to a larger scale of a portion of the construction shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the press as shown comprises a pair of open boxlike members I and 2 hinged together as by the hinges 3 so arranged that when the sections are closed together, they form a box-like enclosure for the skis. They may be so held closed in any suitable manner, as by the fastening element 4, and they may be provided with handle elements 5 which may be brought together and grasped in the hand to facilitate carrying. As shown each of these box sections has a pair of spaced side wall members I!) and H. One end .of each of these side wall members is shown as widened as at 12 and the other end correspondingly narrowed at I3, and the widened and narrowed sections of the two box-like sections are arranged at opposite ends so that when the two are closed together the narrowed end of one mates the widened end of the other. The '5 widened ends are so formed in order to completely house between the side members thereof, the forward upwardly curved tips of the skis l5 shown as placed between the side members. These side members are fixedly secured together in spaced relation as by the bottom member .H and end members l8 and I9 and also by certain cross members located between the side edges of the side members which retain the skis in the desired contour, as will be later more fully described. Thus, the entire press whenin folded condition constitutes a closed box or cabinet completely housing the skis held thereby.

' As shown there are four cross members which hold the skis inproper lengthwise contour. One of these, as 20, is shown as fixed in position and bears beneath the forward or tip end of the ski. The next adjacent cross member 2! is shown as supported in slots 22 in the side members, this cross member engaging the top face of the ski. In order that the curvature of the tip of the ski may. be adjusted as desired, the cross member 2|,may be adjusted along the length of the slots 22, and in order that the position of adjustment may be readily determined :as desired, the .top edge of the notch 22 may be serrated to form the depressions 23 into any selected one of which the cross bar 2| may be positioned and there held by the resilience of the ski which engages on its under face and tends to hold it '35 against the top edge of the slot 22.

Athird cross member comprises a bar 25 which may also be positioned in longitudinally extending slots 26 in the side members. As in this case the pressure of the ski tends to press the bar 0 25 downwardly, the lower face of the slot 26 may be provided with the locating serrations 21.

A fourth cross member which may be manipulated to lock or release the skis in the press is shown at 30, this cross member being adjust- '45 able in the slots 3| in opposite sides of the press. This slot 3| is shown as of substantial length, thus permitting thebar 30 to be moved toward the adjacent end of the press to release the rear end of the ski, or moved away from that end '50 and against the upper face of the ski which may be sprung downwardly to receive it, the cross bar 30 then acting to hold the ski under its resilient pressure in position in the press. The extent to which the member 30 is pushed toward the forward end of the ski determines in some measure the amount of bending which is imparted to the ski throughout its mid portion from the cross bar 2 I, and over the cross bar 25. The skis are inserted by engaging their tips between the cross bars 2| and 20 and then pushing them back into place and engaging the cross bar 30 over their rear ends as far forwardly as desired.

In cases where the cross bars extend through slots in the side members they may be provided with suitable heads 33 on their ends which overlap the outer faces of the spaced side members, and prevent the removal of the cross bars from position. This is of advantage not only in manipulating the cross bar, but it prevents them from being removed from the ski press with the possibility of loss.

As shown the press is of suflicient width to hold a pair of skis in each of the hinge sections,

as desired in any particular case. Also, if desired, suitable clips 35 may be secured within the press in any suitable place as against the base of each of the hinged sections, these clips being employed toengage ski poles 36 or other desired elements associated with skis. Thus where each section is designed to hold one pair of skis, the entire press holds two pairs in the two hinge sections, with the two pairs of ski poles associated therewith.

It will be seen that the longitudinal curvature of each of the skis is controlled by the positions of the cross members and since both skis of a pair are controlled by the same cross members, their contours are uniform. This is in contrast to usual constructions wherein a block of wood is placed between the bases of the skis of a pair and their end portions are wrapped together, since with such a construction the amount of springing is divided between the two skis of the pair and may be distributed unequally between them. Likewise, since the skis are supported between side members which are rigid, particularly in the directionof bend of the skis, the bending is effective altogether on the skis and not on the press, and as they are wholly enclosed, except for the small areas of the slots through which the adjustable cross bars are placed, they are well protected from the weather and from foreign matter.

In Figures 5, 6 and '7, a modification is shown in which, instead of forming the press in two substantially identical sections hinged together, the press is in the form of a box or cabinet. provided with a door through which access may be had to the skis held therein. With this construction it may be desired to house a plurality of pairs of skis in the same cabinet and to provide for holding such skis in separate layers or courses one above or in front of the other, depending on whether the cabinet is lying down or on end. For this purpose it is preferable to provide for simultaneous adjustment of the cross bars for all of the skis. To this end these cross bars are carried by anchor elements 40. -As shown each anchor element comprises a flat board provided with a plurality'of recesses in opposite ends, these recesses being adapted to take over pins 42 which are carried by the side members 43 of the press along opposite edges thereof and projecting inwardly therefrom. These anchor elements 4| may be slipped over the endsof a pair of pins 42 along opposite edges 'of the siderrrembars 43 and they may support the cross mem ber's. As shown certain of these anchor members when the top layer of skis has been removed, this bar can also be removed to facilitate access to the lower row of skis toward the bottom of the box.

lated, the cross members which engage their rear ends should be positioned at different disbut of course it may be made larger or smaller tances from the adjacent end of the press. For

this reason two sets of anchor elements 40d and anchor elements 40d are arranged to support the bar 5| for engagement with the outer or upper sets of skis within the press. These bars 5! and 53 are placed in position while the rear ends of the skis are sprung inwardly sufficiently for the bars to be inserted, whereupon the rear ends of the skis are allowed to spring outwardly and force the corresponding cross bars to the closed ends of their slots. This form of press may also have suitable'clips such as 35 for the securement of ski poles and may also have a suitable box in which ski wax or other appurtenances may be placed. The forward or upper face of the press may be closed as by a hinged door 6!. The press of this construction may be provided or not, as may be desired, with an end to form a base for the press when it'is stored in vertical position.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications might be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

l I claim:

1.A ski press comprising a box'having fixedly spaced side members between whichthe skis may be placed, and transverse members positioned between'said side members for'eng'agement with opposite faces of the skis for retaining said skis in desired contour, said side members having slots extending "substantially lengthwise there- 'of within which certain of said tranSVerse" members may'ride. 4 2.-A ski pr'ess comprising-abox having fixedly ferent positions of adjustment of the transverse member engaged therewith.

3. A ski press comprising a box having two parts hinged together, each of said parts comprising a base, side, and end members, the side members for each part having a wider and a narrower end portion, the wider end portions of one part being positioned opposite to the narrower portions of the other part when said parts are closed together about the hinge, cross members between said sides at said wide portions against opposite sides of which the forward curved ends of a ski housed Within said in closed relative positions housing the skis in 10 said parts extending in opposite directions.

CLARENCE J. DAVIS. 

